Supply chain management is essential in today’s competitive business environment, directly influencing organisational performance and success. Effective supply chain management is the backbone of business sustainability, ensuring continuous and resilient operations. This module will provide you with an in-depth insight into supply chain theory, design and best practice, taking into account issues such as ethics, sustainability, risk and resilience management. This will enable you to question and reflect upon your organisation and its role in the supply chain.
What you will study
This online module is designed for students who want to gain sound knowledge and insight into supply chain management. Whether you're aiming for a career in supply chain or looking to enhance your skills as a supply chain professional and manager, this course offers valuable skills and knowledge to help you stand out.
You’ll gain a comprehensive understanding of supply chain management, exploring key theories, common challenges, effective solutions, and best practices in the field. You'll have opportunities to question and reflect upon your organisation and its role in the wider supply chain. Additionally, this module will help you develop the skills to identify opportunities for improvement of product design, manufacturing processes, sourcing strategies, and market development.
This module is made up of the following nine units:
- Unit 1 introduces you to the core concepts of supply chain management and reviews how supply chain management has become a fundamental function for organisations in today’s business environment.
- Unit 2 focuses on the performance objectives of supply chains and two particular types of supply chains – lean supply chains and agile supply chains – looking at how performance is measured in each of them.
- Unit 3 gives you an insight into supply chain design concerning how organisations optimise control and performance through either vertical integration or outsourcing processes and activities.
- In Unit 4, you'll participate in a practical simulation of managing a typical but simplified supply chain and learn from the challenges you encounter in attempting to address the problems generated by supply chain dynamics. This work will be assessed through a reflective tutor-marked assessment that will encourage you to relate your knowledge and experience to theory and to identify the challenges of implementing best practices.
- The four subsequent units cover topics such as supply chain relationships; sustainability from environmental, ethical and economic perspectives; risk and resilient actions and strategies; and supply chain costs and financial issues.
- In the final unit, you will explore the concepts from this module through an analysis of three distinct supply chains: fashion, public sector, and humanitarian.
The module aims to develop an understanding of the:
- nature of supply chain management, and approaches to address the relevant business decisions
- supply chain management theories, including supply chain dynamics, supply chain risk and resilience, and supplier relationship management
- impact of the external context on supply chain decision-making, including internationalisation and globalisation, current social and technological changes, and government policies and regulation
- challenges of implementing supply chain solutions in context.
You will learn
On completion of the module, you will:
- understand what is meant by supply chain management and the activities involved in its effective practice
- understand the concept of supply chain dynamics, by being aware of the potential solutions to demand amplification and the difficulties of implementing effective solutions
- understand different types of supply chain risk, and their impact on supply chain effectiveness and organisation viability
- have an overview of different types of supply chain disruption, and how to mitigate and deal with them to improve company resilience
- conduct analysis of supply chains to identify strengths and weaknesses in their design and performance
- demonstrate reflective and critical thinking by writing reports that investigate, analyse and critique supply chain practices.
- understand the challenges of your own supply chain practice.
Entry
You will need to ensure that you have the knowledge and experience to study at postgraduate level. Please note that if you wish to study this module as part of a qualification you must meet the entry requirements for that qualification and any requirements regarding the order of study.
The module requires 150 hours of study over six months.
If you have any doubt about the suitability of the module, please speak to an adviser.
If you have a disability
Written transcripts of any audio components and Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) versions of printed material are available. Some Adobe PDF components may not be available or fully accessible using a screen reader. Other alternative formats of the module materials may be available in the future.
Elements of this module are delivered online and include the use of real-time online discussions and an interactive whiteboard space; consequently, time spent using a computer and the internet will be extensive. If you use assistive technology or have a hearing or speech impairment and have concerns about accessing this type of virtual environment and materials, you can visit the system provider's website for information and contact The Open University to discuss it further before registering.
To find out more about what kind of support and adjustments might be available, contact us or visit our disability support pages.
Study materials
What's included
An extensive variety of specially written resources are presented in different media (print and online) and designed exclusively for this module, audio-visual material, published articles, case studies, a set of interactive tools to help you develop your management thinking abilities and access to The Open University library.
Teaching and assessment
Support from your tutor
You will have a tutor who will help you with the study material and mark and comment on your assignments and whom you can ask for advice and guidance. You will contact your tutor by telephone, email or via your tutor group forum on the BB849 website.
Contact us if you want to know more about study with The Open University before you register.
Assessment
The assessment details for this module can be found in the facts box.
Professional recognition
If you’re considering studying this module as part of the MBA, then if you also study Sustainable creative management (BB842), the MBA would be recognised by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in the UK as you can demonstrate the sector-specific skills and knowledge to the standards required of a Chartered Member with CILT(UK).
